mejedwa@lopez.UUCP (Carl Tausch) (01/18/90)
CHIPPEWA SPEARFISHING UPDATE
--by Rick Whaley
(reprinted in full from the _GREEN LETTER_ {Winter 1989} with
permission).
The 1989 spearfishing season brought a severe escalation of violent
intimidation against Chippewa spearfishers and their families. Anti-
treaty protesters fired rocks and ball bearings at spearers from wrist-
rockets, and most nights brought out huge protests at the boatlandings,
featuring the vilest racial and sexual remarks as well as attempts to
block the launching of Chippewa boats. Few prosecutions have resulted
from the massive violation of civil and safety rights of the Chippewa
this year.
The response of the Chippewa was one of dignity, restraint and
nonviolence. Witnesses for nonviolence helped shine a light on the
terrorist activities in northern Wisconsin, and eventually media and law
enforcement people could see that this was a one-sided and racially-
motivated fight. The State of Wisconsin's responses to the disturbances
were first to go to court to block the Chippewa's exercise of their
rights, and second to offer to buy out the off-reservation harvesting
rights in an effort, they said, to quell the racial backlash.
The larger agenda of the State of Wisconsin has been exposed. The
Governor's top aide is James Klauser, former Exxon lobbyist. Corporate
plans to make northern Wisconsin a new mining district as well as to
build new pulp mills could be blocked if these developments would
negatively impact on the harvestable resources (fish, wild rice, deer,
timber). Such harmful development could proceed if a buy-out agreement
were signed between the Chippewa and the state. A unity of Native
Americans and Green/environmentalists has emerged from the struggles of
both communities for democratic control and basic safety.
When the matter was put to a vote, the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa
rejected the buy-out of their rights by a 439-366 count, in a stunning
repudiation of the wishes of their own tribal government and the
expectations of every politician in Wisconsin. Lac du Flambeau members
saw their rights as well as their cultural heritage at stake in the
attempted buy-out.
With the failure of violent intimidation at the boatlandings to stop
the spearfishing, and the failure of the take-money-for-rights idea,
anti-treaty groups and politicians will now ask Congress to abrogate
treaties with Native American nations. The multi-racial constituency of
Greens and other witnesses in Wisconsin appeal to all concerned people
to inform their Congresspeople of this racist backlash against Native
American rights, and to urge resistance to all Congressional efforts to
abrogate treaties and land claims with native nations in Wisconsin and
elsewhere.
For more information or letters of supports, contact the Midwest
Treaty Network, c/o the Grapevine, Box 1350, Bayfield, WI 54814; or the
Milwaukee Greens Treaty Rights Task Force, Box 16471, Milwaukee, WI
53216.
Thanx! PEACE!!! M E J E D W A
TRADITIONAL LAW: As wild things walk in beauty on the earth, let us
walk trails of faith and brotherhood with nature heart by heart.